


bitter, sweet, salty, sweet

by bittersweetwhimsy



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, minor seokhan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2018-12-18
Packaged: 2019-09-21 19:04:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17048873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bittersweetwhimsy/pseuds/bittersweetwhimsy
Summary: Jihoon doesn't care about finding his soulmate. Why? Because if they were to meet, he would punch them for having, possibly, scratch that, absolutely the worst tastebuds in the world.





	bitter, sweet, salty, sweet

**Author's Note:**

  * For [chariiots](https://archiveofourown.org/users/chariiots/gifts).



> hello cat!  
> thank you for giving me the opportunity to write this! i flipped around for awhile trying to write something that matched in your wishlist to the best of my abilities. this fun (well i hope it's enjoyable) fic is what churned out! (sorry if the romance is bad T-T) also sorry in advance for some of the language.

Some days Jihoon really fucking hates his soulmate. Like the time in third grade, where he fell, dying from his tongue bursting into flames, in front of his crush when trying to confess. Today is another one of those days.

Right in the middle of his interview he starts a coughing fit. And of course, he can’t just tell the interviewer what he’s really dying from (it’s not from swallowing his spit down the wrong pipe.)

 

Seokmin and Jeonghan lose it in the café. Thank god they’re the only ones there right now or else he would never be able to deal with the embarrassment of being associated with Seokmin and Jeonghan screeching the word ‘butthole’. Even though the staff is used to their antics, Jihoon can feel the worker’s pity from the counter.

“Are you guys done?”

“No Way!”

“Your interviewer had no idea it was a butthole interrupting your answer?!” Maybe there’s a big enough paper bag in the back that he can stuff his head in. “Couldn’t even choke out, sorry my soulmate is eating out someone right now.”

Seokmin continues howling with laughter.

“I said it was sewer water! Sometimes I wonder why I even bother telling you guys anything,” Jihoon sighs in defeat.

“Ah hyung don’t be like that.” Seokmin finally picks himself off the table, “We love you.”

“For a fact, Jeonghan hyung loves my agony.”

“Hoonie I love you more than all the miserable experiences your soulmate has given you.” Jeonghan wipes a stray tear. “But I can’t BELIEVE HE’S EATING ASS AT NOON. WHAT A MEAL!”

“I would care not to know what you have or have not done in your sex life.”

Jeonghan grins mischievously, “It’s fine, since Seokmin knows it all.” Jihoon glares at the elder.

 

Jeonghan and Seokmin share their sense of sight with each other. Which is hysterical when Jeonghan doesn’t wear his glasses or contacts and Seokmin, whom would be reading perfectly until that moment, suddenly having to squint until his eyes are nearly closed to read. As life would have it, Jihoon got to have sharing taste buds with his soulmate. Sounds cool, to be randomly tasting something delicious every so often. Yet somehow, by some cruel twist of fate, his soulmate keeps picking up weird things to eat. At times it would just be spicy food or plums. Seriously neither of those are great choices of food. All Jihoon knows is that he would rather never meet his soulmate, or else he would punch him the first time they meet.

 

 

His mouth twists in disgust. His hands scramble for the emergency gum stash. Not the pink one, shiny blue, nor the bright green one- ah there it is.  Jihoon pops in a piece of melon gum to combat the taste. Honestly, why does his soulmate be obsessed with blue Gatorade? There are tons of better tasting drinks out there.

A hand cuts into his vision. He glares at the hand before swatting it. “No.”

“Hyung please?” Mingyu pouts. Jihoon returns to his studies. “C’mon~.” The taller boy wheedles. “I just want to try the apple pie one you have.”

“No.”

Mingyu sighs giving up for the day. “Can you help me with music theory at least?”

“Which part do you not get?”

“Harmonic fift-STOP JUDGING ME.”

Jihoon pinches the bridge of his nose, “I’m trying not to. Please tell me why you’re causing both of us to suffer like this?”

Mingyu fidgets, “Because I can hear my soulmate always chatting about chords and other strange music terms.”

“Why didn’t you just pick up an instrument to learn?”

“I tried. But I was more interested in taking apart my clarinet.”

“Jesus. Your soulmate had better appreciate you taking music theory as your damn art elective.”

“Me too.” Mingyu replies quietly. “But what if they don’t like me?”

Jihoon sharply inhales, “Mingyu your soulmate is going to love and appreciate every part of you.” The other’s shoulders relax, “I’m going to kill them if they don’t.”

“Hyung!”

 

He tunes out Jeonghan and Mingyu bickering over which crackers pair best with which cheese. Exiting from the gym is a blue haired boy looking like he ran under the shower with his clothes. From those walking around him, holding their breaths or staring in shock, he knows otherwise.

“Soonyoung!” Two tall boys at the entrance to the rec center call for him.

“Coming!”

Jihoon watches the blue haired boy dash to the doors. Suddenly he spits all over his food. Wiping his mouth, he ignores Jeonghan and Mingyu’s disgusted noises. Sweat? Worst luck he swears. He shovels the rice with ketchup.

Yeah. He’s going to punch his soulmate the day they meet.

 

 

“Hyung! I have someone I want you to meet!” Seokmin calls out from the entryway.

“Do I have to go downstairs?”

“Yes! Junhui hyung and I have to go back to help with the hot cocoa kits. We came to grab the rest of the marshmallows.”

Jihoon grumbles under his breath why Seokmin has to be such a good kid. He shuffles down the stairs. Surprised that Seokmin’s guest is taller than his housemate. Then staring at the bright vivid shade of purple hair. “Hey I’m Jihoon. Seokmin’s suffering roommate.”

“Hyung!” The bags of brightly colored marshmallows rustle in protest.

“Hi Jihoon. I’m Junhui! We’re in the boo radley club together.” His large eyes don’t blink once while his mouth keeps running. “Do you want to come join us? It’ll be fun especially once we hand out the hot cocoa packet kits.”

“Uh… isn’t that the group known for giving out hugs?”

“An act of kindness and spreading happiness is our motto,” Junhui puffs out his chest.

Jihoon wrinkles his nose, “Yeah absolutely no thanks. I hate skinship.”

Seokmin sighs, “It’s only acceptable if it’s from Jeonghan hyung, Junnie hyung.” He glances at his phone, “OH CRAP. Hyung we need to get going!” He tugs Junhui’s arm and still continues yelling as he’s locking the door, “Jihoon hyung text me if you need me to pick up chicken on the way home!”

How absolutely chaotic.

 

Jihoon frowns. Melon flavored marshmallow. WHY. He reaches for a chocolate mint gum stick. Does that mean his soulmate attends their school? Well at least he can blame Seokmin for the poor choice in flavored marshmallows.

 

He spies a familiar mop of purple hair, “Junhui!”

“Oh, hi Jihoon!” He can see the bright smile the taller one sports from underneath his scarf. “I didn’t know you had class this way.”

“I could say the same for you.”

“Hm? I don’t have class this way.” Jihoon sends him an inquisitive look. “I like visiting the food truck that’s around here.”

“There’s a food truck around here?”

Jihoon follows the finger. There by the math building is a gaudy orange truck. It’s impossible to miss the rusted orange paint with suns painted on it. ‘Dim Sunshine’. Ah of course. A Chinese foodtruck.

“Soonyoung!” A boy with blue hair turns in their direction.

“Junnie! I told you that I was bringing the food!”

“I already walk this way as part of my routine. Besides you never order the spiciest ones.”

“I don’t want to be a gross sweaty mess during class!” Soonyoung whines. “Also you’re the one with the worst taste buds. Making me try those melon marshmallows.”

“That sounds disgusting.”

“See! This guy agrees! Wait who are you?”

“Oh Soonyoung, this is Jihoon. Jihoon this is my roommate Soonyoung.”

“Jihoon do you want anything?”

“Only if they have black bean noodles.”

 

Two bites into his noodles, Jihoon’s eyes begin welling up, his tongue on fire. “WHY ARE YOU EATING THAT?!”

“Because I love spicy food.”

“I get that! But You!” A finger is aimed at Soonyoung. “You look like you’re dying while eating.”

“I needed to eat something because the chicken feet I had was too greasy.” Soonyoung fans himself while panting slightly.

 

 

He frowns at the snapchat Mingyu sent. He’s at a fried chicken place with his date. Jihoon would kill for some chicken right now. Just not- “Holy shit.”

Seokmin looks up, “What?”

“I think I just found my soulmate.”

“What?!” Seokmin screeches high enough to blast his eardrum.

“Lee Seokmin.”

“Uh… hug?”

 

He can’t believe he had to get a new student id. He’s gone two years without losing it (a much better record compared to his friends.) Maybe he can stop by Jeonghan’s work to get some free drinks to forget the loss of spending twenty five bucks for the id.

“Jihoon!” He looks over to see Soonyoung at a table.

“What are you doing here?”

“Can’t you tell I’m doing homework.” Soonyoung waves his hand over the papers scattered over the table and textbooks.

“This is the student union.”

“I need judgmental stares to get me motivated. Wanna join me?”

“Weirdo. Fine just this once.”

Surprisingly he is getting a bunch done. Who knew studying in public could be useful? Everything would be better if he wasn’t so thirsty. He looks over at Soonyounng, whom is munching on some crackers. The saltiness dries out his tongue. This is it. They have to be. He takes a huge gulp. It’s now or never. “Do you also share the sense of taste with your soulmate?”

“Yup.” Soonyoung hasn’t looked up from his textbook. Is it not that exhilarating to discover that your soulmate is only inches away from you?

He can feel his heartbeat accelerating, “Soonyoung, we’re soulmates.”

“Excuse me -WHAT?!” The other nearly falls out of his chair.

“I’ve been tasting what you’ve been eating.”

Soonyoung glances nervously between his textbook and Jihoon. “Jihoon, I don’t know how to tell you this but I already found mine. It’s my boyfriend.” It feels as if the world is crumbling beneath his feet. “I’ve known it ever since our freshmen year of high school. Only a weirdo would eat vegetable crackers every – oh crap!” Soonyoung embraces the other. “I’m sorry Jihoon. I’m sorry.”

It takes him a moment to realize Soonyoung is hugging him. He shoves him away and grabs his backpack.

 

“Hyung I really thought I found my soulmate.”

“The butthole eater?”

“SEWER WATER DRINKER.” He glares.

“It’s all pish posh Hoonie. Butthole is easier and faster to say,” Jeonghan combs the younger’s hair. “But if you need to rant to me about how Soonyoung stringed you along feel free to.”

Jihoon sits up, “He didn’t string me along! He was just living life, not knowing what I projected on him!” He falls back on the elder’s lap, “Hyung I just want to find my soulmate.” Tears drip down his face. “I just thought I had finally found him after 20 years.”

“How about we watch Black Panther while eating rice?” Jihoon nods. Jeonghan continues patting his head for the rest of the night.

 

“Is everything okay?”

Jihoon looks up to see Junhui’s warm eyes worrying, “I don’t want your pity.”

“Fine. But let’s at least go grab coffee or something. You’re not getting any work done by moping.” Jihoon stares at his blank assignments. He sticks out his arm, letting Junhui drag him to a coffee shop.

 

“Can I get matcha tea latte with cinnamon and a pump of hazelnut? Jihoon what do you want?”

“Americano like a normal person.”

Junhui frowns, “There’s nothing wrong with flavoring coffee.” He hands the cashier his card.

“You might as well have ordered a chai with green tea and hazelnut.”

They sit at a table with laptops and textbooks out. Jihoon takes a sip of his cooled down coffee. A nutty taste blending with green tea explodes over his taste bud. Jihoon spits out his coffee. That’s NOT WHAT AN AMERICANO TASTE LIKES. He stares at the other, with coffee dribbling down his chin.

“Is there something wrong?” Junhui puts down his cup, grabbing a napkin to wipe off the former’s chin.

“Yo-you’re MY SOULMATE!”

 Junhui’s shock turns into the biggest brightest grin that could rival Seokmin’s. “You’re my soulmate. You’re my soulmate!” He kisses Jihoon’s forehead, “You’re my soulmate! I’ve finally found you!”

“How come you never tried looking for me?”

Junhui shrugs, “You’ve got very simple meals. Almost any person in East Asia matches with what you eat. Except for cereal with ice cubes.” He sticks out his tongue.

“Fine. Fair.” He humph. Then he bolts up remembering, “Okay whose butthole were you eating on October 23rd at 3:45 pm?” Junhui lets loose a hearty laugh. “THIS ISN’T A LAUGHING MATTER I WAS DOING ADULT THINGS WHEN YOU ATE SOMETHING GROSS!” Jihoon sputters.

“I’m sorry,” Junhui wipes a tear, “I was eating snail rice noodles that day. It’s known to smell disgusting. But I promise the taste is better than it smells.”

“It still tasted disgusting to me. I need you to get better taste buds or give me a heads up.” He bemoans.

“Wil-… would your lips be considered in the better taste buds category?”

Jihoon thinks he could die on the spot. His ears turn a bright shade of pink. “Ye-ye-yeah.”

**Author's Note:**

> were you guys able to guess who was Mingyu's soulmate?


End file.
